A new study showed that sending text messages aimed at developing healthy habits and recommending more fruits and vegetables, reducing fatty foods and exercising more often, can help in the prevention of diabetes. This was reported by scientists from Northwestern University and the world non-profit health organization – Arogya World.

This is one of the first of such kind studies. It shows that using a mobile phone can improve the habits of people associated with health and reduce their risk of diabetes. Scientists note that this scientific research is relevant for countries with a population that has a low and average level of income.

In India, diabetes is a common disease. According to experts, about 66 million people suffer from it.

During the study, a million people living in India received special messages 2 times a week, for 6 months. 56 message texts were developed by Emory University to motivate people improving their behavior related to diabetes and raising awareness of the causes of the disease and possible complications.

Then the scientists collected answers about 1000 people who received messages, and the same number of people who did not receive them. Comparing the total points of consumption of fruits, vegetables, fatty foods and exercises in the experimental and control groups, they found that almost 40% of the participants receiving the reports improved their health-related behavior compared to those who did not receive them .